Channel NewsAsia 27 Sep 18;
SINGAPORE: The environment ministers of Singapore and Malaysia on Thursday (Sep 27) agreed to enhance collaboration in new areas such as climate change, managing plastic and packaging waste as well as industrial pollution and radiation safety.
Those issues were discussed during an annual meeting between the environment ministries of the two neighbours, which was held in Putrajaya this year.
The Singapore delegation, led by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, included senior officials from the ministry, the National Environment Agency and other government bodies.
Mr Masagos was in Malaysia for a two-day visit at the invitation of Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change.
A host of environment-related matters were discussed, including the joint monitoring of water quality in the Straits of Johor.
“The two ministers agreed on the importance of good water quality in the Straits of Johor, and encouraged both sides to continue efforts to improve water quality by implementing measures to control sources of pollution,” said a joint press release by the two environment ministries.
On land reclamation works in the Straits of Johor, the ministers noted the potential transboundary impact of such activities, and agreed that it is important for both sides to fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“In this regard, the ministers urged the Danga Bay Joint Task Force to work closely and resolve the issues pertaining to the findings of the bathymetry surveys at Danga Bay expeditiously,” said the joint press release.
Danga Bay, at the southern tip of Johor Bahru not far from the Causeway, is home to residential and commercial developments. Land in the area has been reclaimed for several projects.
Singapore and Malaysia also agreed to continue to update each other on policies to reduce harmful vehicular emissions and identify areas of cooperation.
In addition, the ministers acknowledged the progress made by ASEAN member states in addressing transboundary pollution, and reaffirmed their commitment to work together and with other countries on such issues.
Source: CNA/gs
Singapore and Malaysia ministers discuss environment at meeting
SHANNON TEOH The New Paper 28 Sep 18;
Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.
The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change however did not discuss the regional haze issue.
Singapore Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.
"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement.
"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.
Ms Yeo said she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.
Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait.
ADVERSE IMPACT
They also discussed land reclamation works at the strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.
The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.
Mr Masagos said Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.
In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian premier Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.
Singapore, Malaysia agencies talk environment and waste at annual meeting
Shannon Teo Straits Times 27 Sep 18;
PUTRAJAYA - Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes on Thursday (Sept 27), led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.
The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) however did not discuss the regional haze issue.
Singapore Minister Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early October in Myanmar.
"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's palm oil plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.
"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.
Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings.
"I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.
Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works at the Strait of Johor and their potential adverse impact on the environment.
The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.
Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".
Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.
In an informal meeting with Malaysia’s Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian PM Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore in January.
The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River. Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.
“The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study,” Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.
During his two-day visit which ends on Thursday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.
Singapore, Malaysia discuss the environment
Water quality in Johor Strait, emergency response to spills among topics at meeting
Shannon Teoh Straits Times 27 Sep 18;
Singapore and Malaysia's government agencies engaged in discussions over emissions, water quality in the Johor Strait, emergency responses for chemical spills and environmental training programmes yesterday, led by ministers from the two neighbouring countries.
The 31st Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visits (MSAEV) between Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, however, did not discuss the regional haze issue.
Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli and Ms Yeo Bee Yin, Malaysia's Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister, said they did not discuss the Asean transboundary haze agreement, despite a regional meeting set for early next month in Myanmar.
"We don't work bilaterally to address a multilateral issue," Mr Masagos said of the agreement which was a response to open burning in Indonesia's oil palm plantations which shrouded the region in thick smoke in recent years.
"We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years," he added, congratulating Indonesia for "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.
Ms Yeo said that she is "expecting one-step improvement" at a time during each round of haze meetings. "I have faith that Asean as a region will be able to solve this problem not only for haze, but to really build our brand in sustainable palm oil," she said.
Both countries agreed to hold regular joint field exercises to test the effectiveness of their emergency response plan to deal with chemical spills at the Malaysia-Singapore second crossing and the Johor Strait. They also discussed land reclamation works in the Johor Strait and their potential adverse impact on the environment.
The meetings also saw deep discussion in moving towards "zero-waste", with Malaysia studying whether it can apply some of Singapore's ideas.
THANKING INDONESIA
We are appreciative there has not been an episode of intense bad haze for the last few years.
MINISTER MASAGOS ZULKIFLI, on Indonesia "putting feet on the ground" to stem the problem.
Ms Yeo said the challenge was to implement a "circular economy" where products can be repeatedly reused so "the net production of waste that we eventually have can be reduced as we cope with an increasing population".
Mr Masagos said that Singapore has pursued a strategy of "co-creating solutions" with the public, such as using technology to make it simple for them to separate waste.
In an informal meeting with Malaysia's Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar, Mr Masagos also discussed the joint hydrometric modelling study of Johor River, which was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at the eighth Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore in January.
The study is intended to help increase the water yield and conserve supply at the Linggiu Reservoir, which discharges water into the Johor River.
Singapore buys its water from Johor under a 1962 agreement.
"The environment has changed, rainfall has changed, water catchment areas that feed into the Johor River and Linggiu Reservoir have also changed. So there is a need for us to study," Mr Masagos told reporters on the sidelines of the MSAEV.
During his two-day visit, which which ended yesterday, Mr Masagos also met Malaysia's Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad, Deputy Finance Minister Amiruddin Hamzah and Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Fuziah Salleh.
